


An Accidental Proposal

by vegetasprincess



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: M/M, accidental proposals are the best proposals, jingle ball, larry is mentioned but isn't actually a thing, niall is also adorable, niall is just done, proposal fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-06
Updated: 2015-12-06
Packaged: 2018-05-05 08:47:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,684
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5369120
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vegetasprincess/pseuds/vegetasprincess
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This was, of course, not at all how Niall intended for this to go down.  He’d been planning it for months, all smiles and excitement and hopefulness. There’s a ring that’d been burning a hole in his pocket since the beginning of the North American leg. He’d made all of the proper phone calls, to his own mother, to Bobby, to Anne and Robin (even to Des, though he won’t lie, Robin’s endorsement had meant far more to him.)  The reactions had been positive all around.  Bobby had almost wept tears of joy.  Liam had wept tears of joy. </p>
<p>The thing is, Niall wasn’t even nervous, not really. He had never actually been more sure of anything in his life.  The only detail that he hadn’t yet worked out was the when of the matter and really, in the grand scheme of things, that didn’t seem so huge.  Clearly, he was wrong.</p>
            </blockquote>





	An Accidental Proposal

**Author's Note:**

  * For [missingheadache](https://archiveofourown.org/users/missingheadache/gifts).



This was, of course, not at all how Niall intended for this to go down. He’d been planning it for months, all smiles and excitement and hopefulness. There’s a ring that’d been burning a hole in his pocket since the beginning of the North American leg. He’d made all of the proper phone calls, to his own mother, to Bobby, to Anne and Robin (even to Des, though he won’t lie, Robin’s endorsement had meant far more to him.) The reactions had been positive all around. Bobby had almost wept tears of joy. Liam had wept tears of joy. 

The thing is, Niall wasn’t even nervous, not really. He had never actually been more sure of anything in his life. The only detail that he hadn’t yet worked out was the when of the matter and really, in the grand scheme of things, that didn’t seem so huge. Clearly, he was wrong.

The first issue he encountered was, unsurprisingly, the distinct lack of time between shows. The breaks, two to three days, here and there, weren’t really long enough to dedicate to what he had in mind; what he’d always thought Harry deserved (the world.) A rushed proposal in a random city with zero planning was the last thing he wanted to do. He’d wait until things calmed down a bit, he decided. He’d wait until he could plan it out, make it perfect, just as it should’ve been. 

So five months later the ring still sat, tucked away in its little box in Niall’s overnight bag, right up against his deodorant and toothpaste and Niall’s nerves were at their breaking point. This tour, in particular, had drained all four of the boys more than normal. It had been an emotional roller coaster, really, and all that Niall could think of every time that he saw the box was the fact that he still hadn’t managed to come up with the perfect way to get his proposal out. Twice he nearly actually brought it up in casual discussion with Harry before he remembered that wasn’t actually something they should be having a conversation about. It was all, put mildly, beyond frustrating.

Five months later, five months of wasted opportunities and proposal planning and Niall was pretty sure that no one could blame him for being ready to break, especially today. Some idiot at Vanity Fair released an article about Harry and Louis, which, unsurprisingly, had him seeing red. Not because he’s jealous of Harry and Louis. Of course not. He’s pissed though, because they were finally starting to really interact again publically. They had been talking and laughing and really, it was fantastic for the band and much less stressful for the two of them, as well. 

Then Vanity Fair and their stupid article happened and Harry’s back to avoiding Louis on stage, Liam’s trying, bless his soul, to keep everyone together, and Niall’s just tired. Because he wants to marry this boy, wants it so much that he can taste it, and everyone under the sun seems to be trying to tell him that the love of his life, literally the man he wants to spend the rest of forever with, would be better with someone else.

So really, it’s not Larry that pisses him off. It’s not. He loves Louis like he loves Liam, loves Harry more than there are stars in the sky. It’s just that, after the tour and after the near constant press and then the drama with the tattoo on the late late show, Niall can feel the exhaustion in his bones.

Which, if anyone ever asks him how he managed to end up on one knee with a ring in his hand while on stage at the Jingle Ball, is exactly what he’ll tell them. He’ll absolutely never admit that it’s because some well meaning idiot in the front row is wearing a shirt with some manipulated picture of Louis and Harry, his Harry, in a full on lip lock.

Really, of course, that’s exactly the straw that breaks the camel’s back. He’s stalking off stage before he even has a chance to register that Liam’s almost done talking to the crowd and that he should be getting into position to sing something. Possibly History, he’s really not sure at this point.

All he knows is that there’s an overnight bag in his dressing room with a gold band engraved with Harry’s initials and he’s absolutely done pretending he’s not head over heels in love.

So before he can talk himself out of it he’s back across the stage, ring clutched tightly in his palm like it’s the last shred of sanity he’s got left in him (it probably is, because he didn’t even think to bring the box with him.) What a mess.

Then Harry’s shooting him a smile and an “Alright, babe?” and Niall doesn’t even care anymore. He’s dropping to one knee in front of God and everyone else in the building and he can see the confusion on Harry’s face and there’s concern too, because like an idiot of course he’s gone down on his bad knee and it’s twinging to remind him as much but he just.. doesn’t care.

He can feel the moment that people start to catch on. Can see Louis’ mouth drop open into a perfect O, can hear Liam’s gasp. Harry’s still looking so absolutely confused, his eyebrows drawn together and Niall wants to kiss them. Which should probably be a weird reaction to have to eyebrows, but it’s really really not. The crowd isn’t reacting all that much, which isn’t too surprising, because they’re Niall and Harry and they have a reputation for being absolute idiots on stage anyway. It’s highly possible that their fans are expecting this to dissolve into a dance off. It’s equally possible that it will. That’s one of the parts that Niall loves best about it.

He didn’t think this through, in case he hadn’t made that part clear, hasn’t even got his mic on him, which he doesn’t realize until he’s speaking and Harry just seems to get more confused because he can’t understand what’s being said over the general noise that their fans bring with them, then Liam, bless him, bless his family and his crops, and whatever else Liam might have, is rushing towards him and practically shoving his own microphone into his hands, which are still clutched tightly at his sides. Niall has never been more grateful for anything in his life.

There was a speech, of course, carefully planned words, memorized to perfection. He opens his mouth though, and none of them come out. All he can get out is, “Love you s’much.” The crowd erupts, because of course they do and Harry’s smile could replace the sun it’s so bright. He brings his own mic up and gives a quiet little “Love you too, Nialler.” In reply and Niall’s chest is so tight that he’s not even sure he’s breathing anymore.

Then he’s rolling the ring around in his hand and the words aren’t forming and he’s always been sure of him and Harry, never doubted it for a moment. From the moment that Niall fell in love, he knew that he’d be here. But he can’t get the words to come out right, even after five months of planning and writing everything down, they still aren’t there when he needs them. Harry’s smiling at him so brightly and Niall’s so in love and Louis is jumping around like he’s won the world cup and Liam’s in tears again and Niall still hasn’t said anything. So he pulls the ring up instead, extending it toward Harry like it’s his most prized possession he’s presenting him with (it really is, because it looks like a ring but, it’s his entire heart) and he absolutely, definitively, stops breathing when Harry finally catches on. It looks like Harry stops breathing too. His mic is still raised to his mouth so his tiny gasp echoes around the room, which Niall’s just noticed has gone absolutely deathly quiet.

“I had a speech.” He says finally and he thinks that somewhere over his shoulder he hears Louis laugh, “But I honestly can’t even remember my own name at this point. I don’t even know what the hell I’m doing, Haz. Making a right arse of myself, probably.” Harry’s smile gets a little wider, his dimples on full display and Niall has never been more terrified, which is so incredibly stupid, because they’re Niall and Harry and there’s never been a question that this was coming, “I just know that I love you. And I always want t’love you, Harry. I always want you to be mine. If you’ll let me, I’d like to get the chance to prove it.”

Harry’s already nodding ecstatically before Niall even gets the words out, but he says them anyway, just so there can’t ever be any confusion about it, about what he wants with this man, “Marry me?”

Then Harry’s on his knees in front of him and his hands are on Niall’s cheeks and then their lips are crashing together almost violently and it’s, by far, the best kiss that Niall’s ever had. 

Louis and Liam are cheering into their microphones, he notices vaguely, He’s pretty sure he hears Josh and the others as well. It’s hard to tell with the deafening roar that’s become their fans (or maybe the roar is just in his own ears).

Harry breaks the kiss just before it becomes indecent, pulling away with two more small, soft kisses, one to Niall’s lips and the other to his forehead before leaning back into his shoulder and popping out Niall’s in-ear with a swift, practiced motion. “Always been yours, Ni.” His eyes are misty when he pulls back again, Niall’s sure his own are as well. Then they’re being tackled by Louis and Liam in some massive group hug that’s actually just the four of them rolling around on the floor like idiots. 

And really, Niall’s never been more in love.

**Author's Note:**

> Written for missing-headache, who is a wonderful beautiful human being and deserves all of the happiness that the world can give her. Also please forgive me because I know I'm rusty but this idea was adorable and I just couldn't leave it unwritten.


End file.
